Women in Leadership

Announcing: Women In Leadership Workshop Series

2006-10-14T11:05:00.000-06:00

Announcing: WOMEN IN LEADERSHIP Fall 2006

Stress, Balance and Leadership http://www.dfranck.com/workshops.htm
Women business owners and Leaders are juggling more today than ever. Stress levels are becoming an increasing factor in disease and illness. Stop the madness and start building the life you love. This is a MUST workshop for over-stressed, over-worked and over-scheduled women.

Workshop $249, Minneapolis, MN - November 9, 2006

Women in Leadership http://www.dfranck.com/workshops.htm
Now is the time to start understanding what it take to motivate, manage and build strong organizations that promotes women in leadership. With the market for great leaders becoming more scarce everyday, this is a MUST attend workshop for women and men who make decisions about where the company is headed!

Workshop $249, Minneapolis, MN - November 16, 2006

The Emerging Leader http://www.dfranck.com/workshops.htm
For those in line for supervisory positions or recently promoted into a new position with leadership responsibility. This class will teach you the basics of acclimating and succeeding in your new role as well as skills to help you communicate your vision while you build the team around you. Designed with the edge that every leader needs to develop her team, effectively deliver results and ultimately add profitability to the bottom line. Invest in your future today!

Workshop $249, Minneapolis, MN - November 30, 2006

The L*Edge™ http://www.dfranck.com/workshops.htm
Are you ready to take your leadership skills to the next level? As the New Year approaches, now is the time to sharpen the saw, increase effectiveness, build your personal edge and develop your action plan for a successful 2007. This workshop includes a 360° Evaluation, The Leader of Today profile, Leadership STYLE and Communication training, and three 90-minute coaching sessions following the workshop into the New Year to keep you on your path to success. Join us for the Leadership Edge! Class size is limited, reserve your space today.

Workshop $999, Minneapolis, MN - December 7, 2006

So-Wo-Preneur™ http://www.dfranck.com/workshops.htm
Solo-Women-Entrepreneurs are now making up over 50% of the population. As you start and build your business everything can feel challenging. Even with the odds stacked against you, success if possible. Collaborate with other Solo-Women Entrepreneurs, solidify your ability to pitch your niche and find secrets to succeeding as a So-Wo-Preneur™!

Workshop $249, Minneapolis, MN - December 14, 2006

Vikings, Drake and whole lotta fun!

2006-10-10T09:28:00.000-06:00

Where...The Minnesota Vikings Taste of the NFL Celebrity Dinner. This annual event benefits hunger relief programs here in Minnesota.

So, there we were chit-chatting with all the great football players for the Minnesota Vikings, including a transplant from Christian's old stomping grounds - New England! The hubby was in happyland for hours! Special thanks to Nancy for hosting, Brian for the invitation and their wonderful Guests who welcomed us! We had an oppulent evening! I even got to meet Paul Douglas and Belinda (and almost roped them into hosting an event together in for St. patrick's Day!!!) Enjoy the pics, we had a blast taking them!

Culture

2006-09-30T11:30:00.000-06:00

The Leadership team has the ability to create a culture unto itself, regardless of company missions and vision statements. When you, as the Leader, take the time for your teams development, be respectful by holding your team accountable and communicate your direction you are setting the tone for Culture. The definition of culture is what we do around here in order to succeed and look good! Staff members identify culture quickly. They know what it takes and what it doesn't for them to be viewed as valuable to the Leadership team.

What does it take in your organization to be viewed as a valuable productive member of the team?

*Does it take you being present, or simply you showing up?
*Does it take you participating, or simply listening to a leader talk?
*Does it take you getting your part done, or simply making certain you know who to blame if things go wrong?
*Does it take you validating member learning, or simply making sure they went to the latest and greatest seminar in town?

When what it takes and what you envision are conflicting or potentially negative, it's time to take a second look at how your leading.

Remember, although one bad apple can spoil the lot, if you take care of that one bad apple quickly the rest are capable of thriving!

Humanity and the Saints

2006-09-26T14:20:00.000-06:00

I am not certain how many of you watch Monday night football, but I for one was at a loss for words as the New Orleans Saints worked magic Monday night. As I sat next to my husband watching the game, I couldn't speak without tears welling up in my eyes. Seeing the faces of happiness and the voices of tremendous gratitude and humility from the players, in a city once filled with death and sorrow, was a refreshing jolt of humanity.

If you missed the game, be certain to check out the highlight article http://www.neworleanssaints.com/newsroomarticle.cfm?articleid=2942.

For today, make a list of all the things you are grateful for and say aloud a prayer of thankgiving. Remember, the things that are bringing you sorrow and tragedy in your world may be considered blessings for another.

Peace and Blessings.

Passion, is there a Peak?

2006-09-24T17:33:00.000-06:00

I was asked the following question recently, "How do you know when your passion has reached its peak? Or does it?"

I found myself on a curious train of thought as I pondered the question. I came to the conclusion that there really cannot be a measuring stick for passion, nor does it have a peak. It is such a dynamic state of being and an individualized standard of measurement, there really is no boundary surrounding or defining it. How could you really know if you were at a peak of passion? Now I don't mean in your relationships (although I think the same rule applies there too) I mean in the things you do.

A personal example for me is teaching. While teaching workshops I become so elated, sometimes I have to take breaks and schedule no more than a couple classes per week. The feeling of euphoria overtakes my emotions, and I become blissful. I love to teach, I love to see and hear discovery in my students and myself. Yet, there have been times in my life where my schedule became more about telling and dictating than teaching. When this happened I began to lose energy and passion, yet I was still passionate about teaching. During those times, I do not think my passion peaked nor ended. As predicted, the minute I stepped back into a class to teach, I became even more engaged and passionate as though there was not a minute since the last time I felt that emotion.

There have been books, assessment tools, articles, papers and even talk shows about Passion. When you think about the things in your life you are passionate about, what comes to mind? Is there a peak? Perhaps a way to tell if you have reached it or not? We are curious to know...

Sisters

2006-08-22T23:55:00.000-06:00

As I close out my August 22nd, I am reminded again of the blessings in my life. Today was the birthday of my sister. She is a great sister: older, wiser and funnier. Those of you who have a wonderful older sister know what I mean. She has always been there for me...protecting me, doting over me and most of all showing me the ropes. She taught me to be strong and courageous and to go after my dreams. She also taught me the value of vacations and taking time for myself, something I have needed to be reminded of from time to time.

We all experience moments when we need to believe in someone else's belief in us. For me that belief has often come from my sister. As I am typing I can see reminders of her around my office including a cute little frame that says, "There's no friend like a sister and no sister quite like you!"

If you haven't called your sister in a while - I encourage you to pick up the phone, make the call and be sure to tell her what a rockstar she is!

Happy Birthday Sophia!

Sounding Boards

2006-08-18T08:38:00.000-06:00

So often we find ourselves in need of a coach or coaching advice. When this happens and we do not have one, we often lean on our friends and family not realizing we are looking for a person to be objective and rational and just plain LISTEN to what we have to say. Our friends and family can only do so much if they do not understand what we are looking for from them. When this happens it is always best to start the conversation by letting the other person know you are in need of a sounding board. This will allow you to speak without worrying about judgement and allow them to listen without feeling obligated to give an opinion. Give it a try!

Loyalty is possible or NOT with the first impression!

2006-08-17T11:05:00.000-06:00

Goodmorning! I was given the chance to see what it feels like to be mistreated as a first time customer today and I think the lesson learned can benefit us all...

As I walked into the postal store (to remain nameless) this morning to pick up a package being held for me, I noticed they had postal boxes available for rental. I thought to myself I had no idea this place was so close to me, how fabulous. They had copies - color and black & white at great rates, were clean and the young lady accross the room smiled at me even though it was still pretty early. How can I help you, said the man closer to me. "Good morning," I said, "I am here to pick up a package being held for me." Without so much as a blink he BARKED at me, "Just so you know you are lucky this was not returned. I was off yesterday and that is the only reason this was even accepted. If I had been here I would have returned it." Completely stunned I simply stood there, speechless (for those of you who have met me, this is a feat in itself!) I eventually stammered, "Excuse me?!?" He replied abruptly, "You have to call in advance if you want something held and just like I said you are lucky it was my day off or this would have went right back to Arizona!" Again I was completely speechless, I finally managed to respond, "Well you are welcome to call the people who sent it, I had no idea this place even existed until they sent me here." From that point there was no apology for the bark or even a well thank goodness you finally found us! He simply tried to justify why he was right. As I left (still in shock) I heard him talk about how he was hungry and had to be fed...

Even though I can empathize with the predicament this manager was in. I also know that he could have been a lot more effective with me. Giving me a friendly reminder or even calling the people who sent the package directly would have saved this manager a customer - potentially he could have made a customer for life! I was about to do business with this establishment. I make a lot of copies and am in need of an extra post box. I will likely never do business with this place. As a matter of fact, I would probably discourage others from doing business with them as well. Especially since he was the manager and it sounded like he works six days a week!

1. What can we learn about our own business practices?
2. Do we make it difficult for people to do business with us?
3. How do we as owners set the example so our people treat our customers like people?

Loyalty is possible with a first impression...but ONLY when you strive to make it a good one!

Kismet

2006-08-16T21:33:00.000-06:00

Kiz-met...fate; destiny

Have you ever wondered why you meet someone? I meet many people and sometimes find myself jaded by the process of making new friends, and of course when that happens a reality check often makes its way into my life. Today was that day. Nicole and I ran into one another at a taping at a Better Life Media event six months ago. She was a delightful women, full of energy and life, like so many of you women out there! I thought to myself upon meeting her that I found a new friend I must stay connected with. We were going to catch up over coffee...days turned into weeks, weeks into months and one day I got an e-mail out of the blue - after months of busy schedules and travel we finally were able to catch up over lunch. As we discussed all the exciting things happening in both our lives I had one of those "aha moments".

Often we think we connect with friends in our lives because of what we admire most...when in reality we find people who bring out a special side in us we enjoy having around.

Today I encourage you to connect with a smart, intelligent women whom you have met. The one that when you read that word at the top, pronounced Kiz-met, you think of. No matter how busy you are...have that cup of coffee, network what you do for a living, and then take time to talk about your dreams for your future!

Today was a great reminder for me why I love what I do and why I am committed to making a difference in this world! I would love to hear your story...Best wishes for a fantastic Thursday!

Public Relations, it's not just for your business!

2006-08-07T21:05:00.000-06:00

For most of us, we think of PR as something we do for our business or the associations we belong to. We rarely, if ever, go out of our way to promote ourselves with colleagues, bosses, and potential clients. If we are going to be at the top of our industry then this has to change here and now!

Self-promotion sounds like the last thing we should be doing - to many women it sounds selfish and potentially like they are going to be walking around arrogantly claiming success in public. Before you agree too quickly, think of the last time you were looked over for a promotion, a high visibility project or simply a great opportunity because someone did not know you "might be interested" or "might be a great choice".

We have neglected to build a great reputation for ourselves. That reputation--as silly as it sounds--is in our hands and our hands alone. There are a few of us who are lucky enough to get pointed out to the rest of the world by Oprah and Regis or even the local news anchor or industry trade magazine. So the vast majority rely on what our friends, colleagues and superiors know and say about us when we are not around.

Letting people know about the great things you are up to, is a good thing! Most of your friends, family, colleagues and even your boss will be happy to hear it. While some may not gush over you about it, keep talking about where you are, what you are doing and where you would like to be - appropriate time and place of course!

If you find specific people acting odd because you are telling them positive things in your life, you may want to assess how much time you spend with them (and you may want to evaluate how you have talked about your life in past conversation). Seeds can be planted but will typically only grow if you water and care for them, while weeds figure out a way without you! So, make sure you are planting and caring for seeds and getting rid of those weeds!!!

Good luck, and feel free to comment on what great things you are up to!

7 Critical Questions for Informational Interviews

2006-07-31T16:05:00.000-06:00

Hello again! In thinking about Informational Interviews I am reminded of 7 critical questions you must ask!

1. If you had to sum up your job in 5 minutes or less...how would you do that?

2. If you were in my shoes, what would your next three steps be...

3. What do you do to stay in touch with your industry, do you belong to any associations or networking groups around town? Would you recommend them, or something else?

4. What do you love about your job?

5. Everyone has some part of their job they wish they could delegate, what things would you delegate if you had an extra person to take care of these things - starting tomorrow?

6. What do you do that gives you the most energy?

7. If you had to do it all over again, what would you do differently?

You might want to ask yourself these questions about the job you have now!

That does it for my critical 7 - happy questioning!!!

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Informational Interviews

2006-07-26T11:34:00.000-06:00

Let's assume you have narrowed your job/career/entrepreneurial arena search to 5 possible areas. Now is the time to start informational interviewing people who do what you want to do. There are a few things to keep in mind...

1. Interview people who LOVE what they do first - then feel free to talk to whomever you like.

2. Be on time, have prepared questions and take lots of notes!

3. Do not schedule the interview with a hidden agenda. Informational Interviews are exactly what the words say, you are looking to interview someone for information. You are not interviewing for a job.

4. Don't be afraid to ask for other people they might reccommend you talk to as well, try for two additional contacts per Interview!

5. Send your Thank you's and be sure to Follow-up.

Have a good time and blend the advice with common sense!

We often are so busy trying to get somewhere it seems like so much extra work. An Informational Interview is a way to learn from the mistakes and great advice from others.

Good Luck! Denise

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Yes, I am ready to make a career change!

2006-07-24T21:53:00.000-06:00

Many women out there have been pondering a career or job change. If you have decided that you are one of these women...here are a few pointers for where to start!

1. Begin your discovery process
2. Create a list of what interest you at work (or has in the past)
3. Identify who you prefer to work with (adults, children, animals)
4. Create your dream job poster (use magazines, clippings, etc...)
5. Networking, Networking, Networking
6. Visit formal networking groups (get an idea of what they are all about, don't join anything right away, check them out first!!!)
7. New Skill Development Plan
8. Find a Coach (at minimum a Mentor)
9. Make a Training Schedule for yourself
10. Solicit Feedback, ideally a 360 - that includes a stop, start, continue section!
11. Informational Interview
12. Brush up on Resume Writing and Job Interview Skills
13. Shoot for becoming one of the best in the field you have chosen.
14. When you talk about your new adventure, do it with Passion!

Happy Hunting!

Denise

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SWIM, Styles and Senior Care

2006-07-20T05:16:00.000-06:00

Hello Everyone!

Yesterday I facilitated a Styles Workshop for a local group in Mpls, MN called S.W.I.M. - These folks are doing great work in the Senior Care field and were fantastic to work with. It brought to mind my grandfather and the experience our family had throughout his care (before he passed away). This was many years ago and even though I was too young to understand completely the scope of what he was going through, I do know it must have been a tremendous experience for my family and I wish he could have benefited from the care living in this day would have provided. Senior Living is definitely not what it used to be! The facilities are getting better-they have activities, stores, gyms, restaurants, banks, and so much more. The quality of care has also increased ten-fold. Amazing how times have changed.

Wishing you all a fantastic day!

Denise

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Do you really hate your job?

2006-07-18T13:15:00.000-06:00

I have been running into a lot of great and talented Women who say they are tired of thier current work environments. Before you decide to up and quit your job tomorrow, ask yourself if the following:

1. When I am at work, am I doing what I am most productive and effective at?
2. If not, what pieces can I incorporate into my activities?
3. Do I make a point to speak of my career choice positively?
4. Do I aspire to be the VERY BEST in my field?
5. How much time outside my normal work week do I spend improving my skills?
6. Do I see myself as self-employed? (You really are, you know!)
7. When I am looking at each area of my life, how am I doing?
8. If I got a different job/career what about me would change in order to ensure my success?
9. What would have to change for me to love what I spend so much time doing every day?
10. What is your definition of a great job?

Food for thought...

We often look at our company and our boss as though they are responsible to motivate us, keep us engaged and make us happy. When in reality, we truly are in charge of our attitude, a la Charles Swindoll, and how much effort we extend every day. When I look back today on the jobs that I "hated"... what I really hated most was the person I was letting myself become, I did not "hate" the people around me nor the job itself. My mother always says, "We teach people to treat us, by what we tolerate." If we tolerate an excessive environment, we say we are up for the extra hours. If we tolerate excessive workload we say we don't mind sacrificing other things to get our workload done. If we tolerate being treated poorly or poor communication, then we say these things don't matter.

We cannot always control what happens to us, but we are responsible for how we react. We have the ability to negotiate our workload, to manage our life more effectively, to monitor our self-talk and our "gossip". Successful people stay focused on the solution, they take time to reflect but keep moving forward.

Here's to you staying in the solution!

Denise

"A journey of a thousand miles begins with just one step."
- Ghandi

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Creating a Personal Board of Directors

2006-07-18T07:55:00.000-06:00

Yesterday I mentioned the personal Board of Directors...if this is new to you, please read on. A personal Board is not a group of people you hire or "vote on", but a group of Trusted Personal Advisors who informally act like a Board of Directors to advise you about life and business. They do not meet with one another but rather communicate with you regularly. I reccommend meeting with each member of your Board no less than Quarterly. In building a Board consider people in the following areas of specialty:

1. Finance / Banker / Mortgage Broker

2. Web and Print

3. Industry Specific Association / Chamber

4. Community / Education / Government

5. Marketing / Media Buying / Public Relations

6. Real Estate / Appraiser / Title Company

7. Lawyer / Accountant / Doctor

8. Business Developer / Consultant / Coach

9. Mayor (okay not THE mayor, but that person you know who seems to know everybody)

Keep it your responsibility to set up meetings over the phone, coffee, breakfast, lunch or dinner. Try to pick up the tab more often than they do. Send periodic Thank You's. When they refer you business send something special like tickets to a sporting or theatre event. Be respectful of their time and remember they do not work for you. And when the opportunity arises to return the favor, be certain to do so!

Until tomorrow...Denise

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Self-Coaching for Success

2006-07-17T23:32:00.000-06:00

Starting a micro business can be an earth shattering experience for the faint of heart. If you are an Entrepreneur and looking for help, KEEP COMING BACK! Below are 10 tips for entrepreneurs to self-coach and make the start-up process a success:

1. Create a personal Board of Directors for YOU!

2. Do at least 3 things every day that contribute to building your business, and do them first!

3. Every week journal 20 ways to "double your client load" - document EVERY idea - even if it is BAD - sometimes you’ve gotta get through the ugly to find the beautiful side of life!

4. Self-talk....Self-talk....Self-talk....KEEP IT POSITIVE!

5. Decrease time spent with "draino's" - you know who they are - they suck the life out of you and every idea you ever have!!!

6. Remember that living a BALANCED life is more about being present where you are than equal time for all.

7. Keep motivational QUOTES and PEOPLE in your life!

8. Focus on your niche market - don't get caught up in the "I can do everything!" routine.

9. Get in touch with your spiritual side, ask for guidance and then let go of the worry.

10. Have the Courage to be an Amateur.

Great fortune for your day - see you tomorrow!

Denise

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